Motorized vehicle



G K. HENNEY MOTORIZED VEHICLE Nov. 20, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 14, 1946 INVENTOR.

660/966 Few/en Hem ex Nov. 2 0, 1951 G. K. HENNEY 2,575,873

MOTORIZED VEHICLE Filed March 14, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jil , Y [N VEN TOR.

660/966 KavA/en/ HeA/NEK Nov. 20, 1951 G. K. HENNEY 7 2,575,873

MOTORIZED VEHICLE Filed March 14, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 IINVEN TOR. 5604; KENAETH Ham/var.

1951 G. K. HENNEY 2,575,873

MOTORIZED VEHICLE Filed March 14, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. 550E565 Aim/6m Hem/5r.

Nov. 20, 1951 G. K. HENNEY 2,575,373 MOTORIZED VEHICLE Filed March 14, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 l N V EN TOR. 560mg Kim/5m HEW/V6 r.

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Patented Nov. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MOTORIZED VEHICLE George K. Henney, South Bend, Ind., assignor to Bendix Aviation Corporation, South Bend, Ind., a corporation of Delaware Application March 14, 1946, Serial No. 654,282

1 Claim. (01. 180-33) This invention relates to power-driven bicycles and more particularly to the combination of an engine and wheel assembly which can be used to replace the rear wheel of the conventional bicycle with a minimum of changes.

One of the more important objects of the invention resides in the provision of an engine for a rear bicycle wheel having a hub of standard width on which the engine is carried.

Another important object of the invention lies in the provision of an engine and clutch assembly enclosed in a unitary housing suspended from a rear wheel hub which fits between the rear fork of a conventional bicycle.

A still more important object of the invention is to provide a driving apparatus carried by the hub of a wheel which fits a conventional bicycle.

A further feature of the invention resides in the provision of a novel clutch mechanism whereshifted to low, high or neutral gear at the will of the operator.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the apparatus taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of a bicycle on which the apparatus of the invention is mounted;

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section through the engine;

Figure 3 is a section partly in elevation taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 3 through the center of the bicycle wheel and the clutch with parts shown in elevation for purpose of clarity; and

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the housing in which the engine and clutch are contained.

Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, a bicycle is designated by the numeral Ill, having a standard frame I2 to which is pivotally secured a bifurcated member or fork l4 constituted to receive a front wheel I6. A steering handle or handlebar I8 is carried by the fork I4 and suitably secured to the fork to guide the front wheel I6. A rear fork is integral with the frame l2 and is of standard dimensions to accommodate a standard bicycle wheel 22 of the type shown in Figure 1, having a hub 24. The bicycle I0 is provided with a sprocket wheel 26 fixed to a pair of oppositely extending arms 28 and 30 having pedals 32 rotatably carried thereby for engagement with a riders feet to drive the bicycle. An

by a power driven bicycle may be conveniently 12 endless chain 34 connects the sprocket wheel 26 to a smaller sprocket wheel 36 of Wheel 22. The wheel 22 comprises a dished-disk-like member 38 formed into sides 39 at its periphery to cooperate with a rim 49 to which the dished-disk is fixed. The rim 40 is formed to receive a tire 42. The hub 24 is of a standard type for use in the rear wheel of a conventional bicycle. A conventional type of 'coaster brake is housed within the hub. The coaster brake which forms no part of the invention, is of a typewhich brakes the wheel 22 when the sprocket 26 is rotated in one direction and which drives the wheel when the sprocket is rotated in the opposite direction. A flange 44 is integrally formed with the hub 24 and is held in driving relationship with the wheel 22 by bolts 46 which pass through the flange and disheddisk.

A housing 48 is formed with substantially parallel walls or sides 50 and 52, each wall having an opening 54 and 56 respectively therein. The housing is flanged at 49 and 5| to receive covers 53 and held in place by fillister head screws for the housing 48 which is suspended from the hub 24. The hub 24 and wheel 22 are free to rotate relative to the housing; A torque arm 62 is secured to the housing by bolt 64 and is clamped to the frame of the bicycle at 66 to prevent rotation of the housing about the hub. The housing 48 includes a cylinder 68 within which a piston Ill reciprocates. A connecting rod I2 is secured to a crank shaft "and to a Wrist pinlB. Openings l8 and in the walls 50 and 52 of the housing receive bearings 82 in which the crank shaft 14 rotates. The crank shaft 14 has ends 84 and 86 which extend beyond the walls 5|] and 52 of the housing to receive respectively a flywheel 88and a sprocket 90, both of which are fastened to the crank shaft by suitable means.

The flywheel is also constructed and arranged to serve as a magneto. The flywheel in conjunction with a coil 92, anda condenser 94 forms a part of the ignition system for the engine. The coi1 92 is connected to a spark plug 96 located at the top partofcylinder 68. A cover 95 extendsover the flywheel 88 and is held in position in any suitable manner. A gear 96, carried by the crank shaft 14, engages a mating gear, not shown, mounted on cam shaft 98 to impart rotation thereto to actuate intake and exhaust valves, of

which only the intake valve I00 is shown. The sprocket fixed to the crank shaft drives an input sprocket I02 through an endless chain 104.

The input sprocket I02 is secured to a shaft I06 rotatably disposed in the housing 48 and carried by bearings I08 and H located respectively in openings H2 and H4 of the housing' i8.

A clutch and planetary gear mechanism I20 is disposed within the housing 48 and comprises a sun gear l22 keyed to the input shaft I66 by a key I241; "A ring gear I26 is carried by a spider or supporting member I 28 which is freely rotat able around and axially shiftable on the shaft I06. Planetary gears I301 are disposed radially from the shaft I06 and evenly spaced apart around the circumference of the ringgear I26 and carried by a cage or supporting member-132 The spider or ring gear carrier I26 and the cage or planetary gear carrier I32.-:are. botii supported by bearings concentrically disposed around the input shaft I06. Suitable fastening stiids I34,

extending laterally from-the supporting member 1 lezxare providedfor securing the'planetarygears "1'30 to said supporting member I32 in amanner to permit the gears to fr-eelyrotateabouttheir axes.- These pia'rietary gears are disposed reiative'to the rihggearl26 and to the-sun gear I22 "to mesh therewith for "driving 'engag'em'e'nt. A boss' I36; integral with thesupporting-member I32, provided'with an output member or sin-beret I38 secured theretoand held against re Eamon reiau e'to the Supporting meinber 132' by a pin 140, A hub sprocket I42 is keyed to the hub 24 at l'44 to rotate'therewithw-An endless chain I46 conn'ects'sprocket I38 tos'procket M2 to'transmi't torque of" turning 'ffo'r't'to wheel 22. 'iinadiustameidier sprocket I43 is positioned'in 'the housing' toengagethe ohai'nl it' to vary the taut'riessthereof:

The clutch mechanism associated with the planetarygear assemblyincludes'a conical surface-1'50formed'in' the interior of the axially shiftable ring gear I26. "Supporting member+32 sprcvrueawan a flange=likeelernent I52 hav inciind face 154' td-Whichis fastened a st" 1p or materiar Isa-having ahigh" coefiicient of friction such-as'cork, for example; to engage the ecnicaisur ace 150. Beuevme spring-a provides yiel'dable means between the-two-gear supporting member's 12c and 32. true spring has its outerperipheral portion I60 engaging supporting member I32 and its inner portion I62 seating on abushiiig I64 which is carried on a sleeve like "element I66 integral with the support-ing member I28. This arrangement of the spring between the two gear supporting members I28 and I32 biases the former member to the right since-that member is axially movable 'with respect to the supporting merrier I32 and -withresp'ect to shaft I06. The cone-shaped surface I50 and strip I56 are normally held in contact relationship by the spring I 58 to provide a frictional clutch. -A bushmg 168 is disposed within the openin I I4 to carry one end of shaft I06. The bushing is e2- it'e'ri'orly threaded at I10 to receive ahub H2 inteam with a control wheel I14 which provides means for axially shifting the supporting memher 128 which carries'the ring gear- I26 and" one of the clutch ifaces I50. The wheel I14 is equipped with-a ring-like element I16 pl'aced in the-side of the control wheel to abut the supporting member I 28 to-movethe sameaxially to the left to disengage the surface I50 from the strip 456 when the control wheel is rotated in adirection to cause the same to shift axially .to the left. .--To rotate the control wheel as aforementioned, a c fablel80 is securedto the periphery of the conwhich is freely rotatable around't'he'sliaft 166'.

a flat flanged portion I84 integral with the housingand covered with a strip I86, such as cork which has a high coefficient of friction, for engag'ementwith a fiat surface I88 of the ring gear i 261 to-thereby-provide a brake therefor. This flange I86, being a part of the housing, forms a fixedmember with which the ring gear engages to secure by Letters Patent is: '65

hold the same from rotation at times.

Y A carburetor I90 is connected to the interior of the cylinder 68 by a manifold I92. A tubing 1 86. connects the carburetor. to a. gas -tank' 'jI 96 mounted on the bicycle andsecurelyheldithere to by a supporting bracket I98.

Operation of the bicycleis. as follows: In the position shown in'Figure, the clutch mechanism drivably connectsthe planetarycarrier or cage I32. to the ring. gearcarrier or. spider I28 to drive the vehicle in high gear .ata 1:1 ratio. That is, the planetary carrier, to..which is..fixed the output sprocket I38, islocked to the ringgear carrier by engagement of the face I50.with-the cork strip I56 to provide adirectdriveto. the output sprocket I38. To putthe bicyclein low gear the control lever I62, located onthe handlebar, is operated to cause rotation of wheel I14 which is shifted axially totheleft urging the ring gear carrier to the left. to disengage the face I50 from .the'corklstrip I66 and to engage face. I88 with the fiat cork strip I36. The ring gear I26 and its supporting member I28lare now held stationary and the sun gear I22 caused to rotate. Rotation of the sun gear I22 which meshes with the plane"- tary gears. I30 will rotate .s'aid planetaryigears about their vownaxes todrive the cage or planettary gear supportingrrnember I32'at a reduced speed.v M V. The clutchhas a neutral positionin which the ring gear- I26is out of contact with the fiat cork strip I86 and the cone-shaped cork strip I56. 7. In thisposition, the ring gear and its supporting member I28 are free to rotate around shaft I06.

Obviously,- when the clutch is in neutral position,

For use with a bicycle havinga fork of standard width, a power apparatus for the bicycle adapted to be secured to the fork, said power apparatus comprising a wheel equipped with a'hub interposed between said fork and secured thereto, a unitary housing supported on thehub and constructed and arranged so that the center of gravity of said housing is below said hub, .saicl housing being formed with two chambers therein, one of which is located 'aft of said hub and the other of which surrounds said hub which passes through said latter chamber, a motor in the aft chamber and comprising a crankshaft, a transmission in said other chamber, a chain drive for connecting the crankshaft to the transmission, and a. chain drive in the housing for connecting 5 the transmission to the wheel.

GEORGE K. HENNEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the m file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Westinghouse Aug. 20, 1901 Schmidt Mar. 13, 1906 Michaelson Feb. 23, 1909 Copeland Sept. 18, 1917 Schmidt Oct. 2, 1917 Dickman Nov. 6, 1917 Van Antwerp Nov. 27, 1917 Osborn July 4, 1922 Bruckmoser Now. 14, 1939 Watkins et a1 Aug. 19, 1941 Steinlein et a1 Dec. 30, 1941 

